Munster Roles For Galwey And Coakley

Former team captain Mick Galwey and Erin's Own/Mallow GAA clubman Colm Coakley have been added to the Munster senior management team for the coming season.

And in further deference to the 'boot room' tradition made famous by another red clad brigade from Merseyside, Munster have also announced enhanced roles for two other former stalwarts, Anthony Foley and Paul McCarthy.

Foley, Munster's most-capped player and leading try scorer, formerly a technical advisor, will assume the role of assistant coach with additional responsibility for defence, while maintaining his function as head coach to the Munster British & Irish Cup side.

McCarthy, who featured in the Munster side that famously defeated Australia at Musgrave Park in 1992, and prior to this, a part-time scrum advisor, will now be full-time scrum coach.

He will work alongside forwards coach Laurie Fisher and Foley, and have additional responsibility for identifying and developing front row talent to feed into the Munster professional set-up.

Mick Galwey, captain of the Munster team that reached the 2000 Heineken Cup final, has been appointed as Munster squad advisor.

This is a part-time position which will see him act as mentor for the senior and development-contracted players, with additional responsibilities cognisant of that role.

The Kerryman, who won the last of his 136 Munster senior caps in February 2003, was part of that Munster side, coached by the province's current CEO Garrett Fitzgerald, that beat the Wallabies in 1992.

Galwey was also had a management role with the Foley-coached Munster side that reached last season's British & Irish Cup final.

In addition, Munster have announced the appointment of Colm Coakley as squad physiotherapist.

Cork native Coakley will provide physiotherapy services, along with current physiotherapists Anthony Coole and Neil Tucker, to the Munster squad in Cork and Limerick.

A graduate of UL, and currently operating from a practice in Midleton, he spent the past season working with the Munster Academy and Munster British & Irish Cup squad.

Looking forward to facing England on Sunday, Ireland winger Tommy Bowe said: "We've trained very well this week, we're really excited about the game. It's about going out there and doing whatever we can to get ourselves that win."

Second row Devin Toner previews Ireland's crunch RBS 6 Nations clash with England, saying: "It's a pretty formidable English pack. Attwood and Kruis have played fantastically well. They're well drilled and focused and their scrum and lineout are very good."

Looking forward to facing England this weekend, Ireland back rower Sean O'Brien said: "It's obviously exciting, but it's one game at a time. I don't think there's any more pressure on us than in the first two games. That's the way you have to look at it."

Irish Rugby TV sat down with Ireland Under-20 scrum coach John Fogarty to talk about the U-20 Six Nations so far and Friday's clash with England at Donnybrook. Tickets are on sale on www.ticketmaster.ie.

Shane Byrne and Malcolm O'Kelly preview the Ireland v England Legends match which takes place at Donnybrook this coming Saturday (kick-off 7.30pm). Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.ie. All proceeds from the game will go to support the IRFU Charitable Trust and the RFU All Schools Charity.

Watch highlights from the Ireland team announcement press conference as Joe Schmidt reveals the team to play France. Peter O'Mahony says it is good to 'have some big figures back' for Saturday's clash.